Pigs Wander Along Florida Highway After Truck Accident

Truck accidents can have devastating consequences for everyone involved. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a crash caused by a truck driver’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our Miami truck accident attorneys can analyze the facts of your case and help you understand your legal rights and options. With years of experience, we understand how to navigate these types of cases.

Last month, on Thanksgiving morning, a truck crash sent pigs wandering on I-95 in St. Johns County when a semi-trailer carrying them collided with another truck. Upon impact, the truck carrying the pigs overturned, causing the animals to escape onto the shoulder of the highway. The second truck continued down the right side of the highway for approximately 1,000 feet before it partially rolled over as well. The accident took place just before 4 a.m. in a muddy area, which was made worse by rainfall. Miraculously, no one was injured in the accident, but the Florida Highway Patrol warned drivers to use extra care on the highway, due to the possibility of loose livestock. This is not the first time that pigs or other livestock have been left wandering the streets after an accident, and, unfortunately, it probably will not be the last.

Unfortunately, truck accidents are more common than you may think. In 2015, a total of 3,852 people were killed in large truck crashes, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. About 16 percent of these deaths were truck occupants; 69 percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles; and 15 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists.

Determining fault in a truck accident can be complicated. Truck drivers must have a Commercial Driver’s License and must obey all state and federal rules. If a truck driver causes an accident, he or she will likely be on the hook for any resulting damages through a negligence claim. Negligence takes place when a truck driver causes injuries or death because he or she failed to use reasonable care behind the wheel. Reasonable care is defined as how a reasonably prudent truck driver would have acted in the same or a similar situation.

In some cases, you may be able to sue for negligence as well as ‘negligence per se.’ Under the latter theory, negligence is inferred when the truck driver violates a safety statute, the victim of the accident is a member of the class that the safety statute was designed to protect, and the violation was the cause of the accident. For example, negligence per se might be established by showing that the truck driver violated a federal rule – such as by overloading a truck in excess of the permissible legal amount, which caused the accident and resulting injuries.

If you or someone close to you has been injured in a truck accident, you need the skilled Miami truck accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon on your side. We have the experience and resources to protect your rights at every step of the way. We understand that there is nothing more stressful than being involved in a serious accident, which is why you can expect the utmost compassion from our entire team. To discuss your case in more detail with us, call us at 1-877-499-HURT (4878) or reach out to us online today.